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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kick — in football
  3. craft — boats
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. drill — a practice
  11. craft — a skill
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. drill — army training
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. drill — the tool
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com